system32\config\regback fills up

I've had my Vista computer for about 14 months. Gradually my hard disk has
filled up. I've traced this to the system32\config\regback directory, which
now contains 32GB of files mostly named REGxxxx where xxxx is a sequence
number.

I understand these are registry backups of some sort. What is safe to delete?

There are several backups for each date I've owned the computer, with some
days missing. Why doesn't Vista automatically get rid of old backups instead
of filling my hard disk?

Hi,

Basically, there should be two backups of each of the five registry hives
named <hive> and <hive>.old as well as the associated logs. For instance you
should see:

SAM
SAM.OLD
SAM.LOG1
SAM.LOG2

Anything else for each of them can be deleted.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"hspindel" <> wrote in message
news:36896AEA-4739-4662-AC77-...
> I've had my Vista computer for about 14 months. Gradually my hard disk
> has
> filled up. I've traced this to the system32\config\regback directory,
> which
> now contains 32GB of files mostly named REGxxxx where xxxx is a sequence
> number.
>
> I understand these are registry backups of some sort. What is safe to
> delete?
>
> There are several backups for each date I've owned the computer, with some
> days missing. Why doesn't Vista automatically get rid of old backups
> instead
> of filling my hard disk?
>

Thank you for the response, Rick. I see the two backups of each of the five
registries as you describe.

But there are also a gazillion files named REGxxxx. What are these? If I
don't need them, can I stop them from being created?

Thanks,
Howard

"Rick Rogers" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Basically, there should be two backups of each of the five registry hives
> named <hive> and <hive>.old as well as the associated logs. For instance you
> should see:
>
> SAM
> SAM.OLD
> SAM.LOG1
> SAM.LOG2
>
> Anything else for each of them can be deleted.
>
> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
> My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
>
> "hspindel" <> wrote in message
> news:36896AEA-4739-4662-AC77-...
> > I've had my Vista computer for about 14 months. Gradually my hard disk
> > has
> > filled up. I've traced this to the system32\config\regback directory,
> > which
> > now contains 32GB of files mostly named REGxxxx where xxxx is a sequence
> > number.
> >
> > I understand these are registry backups of some sort. What is safe to
> > delete?
> >
> > There are several backups for each date I've owned the computer, with some
> > days missing. Why doesn't Vista automatically get rid of old backups
> > instead
> > of filling my hard disk?
> >
>
>

Do the file names have an extension? That could be informative...

On Tue, 3 Mar 2009 12:59:02 -0800, hspindel wrote:

> Thank you for the response, Rick. I see the two backups of each of the five
> registries as you describe.
>
> But there are also a gazillion files named REGxxxx. What are these? If I
> don't need them, can I stop them from being created?
>
> Thanks,
> Howard
>
> "Rick Rogers" wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Basically, there should be two backups of each of the five registry hives
>> named <hive> and <hive>.old as well as the associated logs. For instance you
>> should see:
>>
>> SAM
>> SAM.OLD
>> SAM.LOG1
>> SAM.LOG2
>>
>> Anything else for each of them can be deleted.
>>
>> --
>> Best of Luck,
>>
>> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
>> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
>> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>> My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
>>
>> "hspindel" <> wrote in message
>> news:36896AEA-4739-4662-AC77-...
>>> I've had my Vista computer for about 14 months. Gradually my hard disk
>>> has
>>> filled up. I've traced this to the system32\config\regback directory,
>>> which
>>> now contains 32GB of files mostly named REGxxxx where xxxx is a sequence
>>> number.
>>>
>>> I understand these are registry backups of some sort. What is safe to
>>> delete?
>>>
>>> There are several backups for each date I've owned the computer, with some
>>> days missing. Why doesn't Vista automatically get rid of old backups
>>> instead
>>> of filling my hard disk?
>>>
>>
>>


--
Gene E. Bloch letters0x40blochg0x2Ecom

Hi,

I have no idea what's creating them. Have you looked at any third party
system protection programs that you may be using? It's not a function of
Vista to do that.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"hspindel" <> wrote in message
news:63D6506B-07EB-468F-B349-...
> Thank you for the response, Rick. I see the two backups of each of the
> five
> registries as you describe.
>
> But there are also a gazillion files named REGxxxx. What are these? If I
> don't need them, can I stop them from being created?
>
> Thanks,
> Howard
>
> "Rick Rogers" wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Basically, there should be two backups of each of the five registry hives
>> named <hive> and <hive>.old as well as the associated logs. For instance
>> you
>> should see:
>>
>> SAM
>> SAM.OLD
>> SAM.LOG1
>> SAM.LOG2
>>
>> Anything else for each of them can be deleted.
>>
>> --
>> Best of Luck,
>>
>> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
>> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
>> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>> My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
>>
>> "hspindel" <> wrote in message
>> news:36896AEA-4739-4662-AC77-...
>> > I've had my Vista computer for about 14 months. Gradually my hard disk
>> > has
>> > filled up. I've traced this to the system32\config\regback directory,
>> > which
>> > now contains 32GB of files mostly named REGxxxx where xxxx is a
>> > sequence
>> > number.
>> >
>> > I understand these are registry backups of some sort. What is safe to
>> > delete?
>> >
>> > There are several backups for each date I've owned the computer, with
>> > some
>> > days missing. Why doesn't Vista automatically get rid of old backups
>> > instead
>> > of filling my hard disk?
>> >
>>
>>

There is no extension.

"Gene E. Bloch" wrote:

> Do the file names have an extension? That could be informative...
>
> On Tue, 3 Mar 2009 12:59:02 -0800, hspindel wrote:
>
> > Thank you for the response, Rick. I see the two backups of each of the five
> > registries as you describe.
> >
> > But there are also a gazillion files named REGxxxx. What are these? If I
> > don't need them, can I stop them from being created?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Howard
> >
> > "Rick Rogers" wrote:
> >
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> Basically, there should be two backups of each of the five registry hives
> >> named <hive> and <hive>.old as well as the associated logs. For instance you
> >> should see:
> >>
> >> SAM
> >> SAM.OLD
> >> SAM.LOG1
> >> SAM.LOG2
> >>
> >> Anything else for each of them can be deleted.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Best of Luck,
> >>
> >> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> >> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> >> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
> >> My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
> >>
> >> "hspindel" <> wrote in message
> >> news:36896AEA-4739-4662-AC77-...
> >>> I've had my Vista computer for about 14 months. Gradually my hard disk
> >>> has
> >>> filled up. I've traced this to the system32\config\regback directory,
> >>> which
> >>> now contains 32GB of files mostly named REGxxxx where xxxx is a sequence
> >>> number.
> >>>
> >>> I understand these are registry backups of some sort. What is safe to
> >>> delete?
> >>>
> >>> There are several backups for each date I've owned the computer, with some
> >>> days missing. Why doesn't Vista automatically get rid of old backups
> >>> instead
> >>> of filling my hard disk?
> >>>
> >>
> >>
>
>
> --
> Gene E. Bloch letters0x40blochg0x2Ecom
>

I use Norton Internet Security for system protection. Don't know how to tell
if NIS is creating these files, or how to tell it to stop if it is.

Thanks.

"Rick Rogers" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I have no idea what's creating them. Have you looked at any third party
> system protection programs that you may be using? It's not a function of
> Vista to do that.
>
> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
> My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
>
> "hspindel" <> wrote in message
> news:63D6506B-07EB-468F-B349-...
> > Thank you for the response, Rick. I see the two backups of each of the
> > five
> > registries as you describe.
> >
> > But there are also a gazillion files named REGxxxx. What are these? If I
> > don't need them, can I stop them from being created?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Howard
> >
> > "Rick Rogers" wrote:
> >
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> Basically, there should be two backups of each of the five registry hives
> >> named <hive> and <hive>.old as well as the associated logs. For instance
> >> you
> >> should see:
> >>
> >> SAM
> >> SAM.OLD
> >> SAM.LOG1
> >> SAM.LOG2
> >>
> >> Anything else for each of them can be deleted.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Best of Luck,
> >>
> >> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> >> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> >> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
> >> My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
> >>
> >> "hspindel" <> wrote in message
> >> news:36896AEA-4739-4662-AC77-...
> >> > I've had my Vista computer for about 14 months. Gradually my hard disk
> >> > has
> >> > filled up. I've traced this to the system32\config\regback directory,
> >> > which
> >> > now contains 32GB of files mostly named REGxxxx where xxxx is a
> >> > sequence
> >> > number.
> >> >
> >> > I understand these are registry backups of some sort. What is safe to
> >> > delete?
> >> >
> >> > There are several backups for each date I've owned the computer, with
> >> > some
> >> > days missing. Why doesn't Vista automatically get rid of old backups
> >> > instead
> >> > of filling my hard disk?
> >> >
> >>
> >>
>
>

I stumbled across the answer. See:

http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=257534

In short, they are temporary files used by ntbackup. (Since Vista doesn't
come with a reasonable backup program, I've been using ntbackup from XP).

It's a program bug in ntbackup - the temp files should be deleted.
Apparently it's safe for me to delete them.

I do not understand why I'm having the problem as the app note says this
applies to network backups, which I'm not doing, but I'm happy to have an
answer anyway.

Howard


"Rick Rogers" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I have no idea what's creating them. Have you looked at any third party
> system protection programs that you may be using? It's not a function of
> Vista to do that.
>
> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
> My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
>
> "hspindel" <> wrote in message
> news:63D6506B-07EB-468F-B349-...
> > Thank you for the response, Rick. I see the two backups of each of the
> > five
> > registries as you describe.
> >
> > But there are also a gazillion files named REGxxxx. What are these? If I
> > don't need them, can I stop them from being created?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Howard
> >
> > "Rick Rogers" wrote:
> >
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> Basically, there should be two backups of each of the five registry hives
> >> named <hive> and <hive>.old as well as the associated logs. For instance
> >> you
> >> should see:
> >>
> >> SAM
> >> SAM.OLD
> >> SAM.LOG1
> >> SAM.LOG2
> >>
> >> Anything else for each of them can be deleted.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Best of Luck,
> >>
> >> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> >> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> >> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
> >> My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
> >>
> >> "hspindel" <> wrote in message
> >> news:36896AEA-4739-4662-AC77-...
> >> > I've had my Vista computer for about 14 months. Gradually my hard disk
> >> > has
> >> > filled up. I've traced this to the system32\config\regback directory,
> >> > which
> >> > now contains 32GB of files mostly named REGxxxx where xxxx is a
> >> > sequence
> >> > number.
> >> >
> >> > I understand these are registry backups of some sort. What is safe to
> >> > delete?
> >> >
> >> > There are several backups for each date I've owned the computer, with
> >> > some
> >> > days missing. Why doesn't Vista automatically get rid of old backups
> >> > instead
> >> > of filling my hard disk?
> >> >
> >>
> >>
>
>

Well, I guess that's informative. But obviously not much help - just like
my question, I guess :-)

I was kind of hoping that they might be REG0001.reg or something that would
provide a clue.

There are no files named like that on my computer (or else I searched
wrong), and nothing like that, without a filename extension, on Google (or
else I searched wrong again...).

On Tue, 3 Mar 2009 16:02:01 -0800, hspindel wrote:

> There is no extension.
>
> "Gene E. Bloch" wrote:
>
>> Do the file names have an extension? That could be informative...
>>
>> On Tue, 3 Mar 2009 12:59:02 -0800, hspindel wrote:
>>
>>> Thank you for the response, Rick. I see the two backups of each of the five
>>> registries as you describe.
>>>
>>> But there are also a gazillion files named REGxxxx. What are these? If I
>>> don't need them, can I stop them from being created?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Howard
>>>
>>> "Rick Rogers" wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> Basically, there should be two backups of each of the five registry hives
>>>> named <hive> and <hive>.old as well as the associated logs. For instance you
>>>> should see:
>>>>
>>>> SAM
>>>> SAM.OLD
>>>> SAM.LOG1
>>>> SAM.LOG2
>>>>
>>>> Anything else for each of them can be deleted.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Best of Luck,
>>>>
>>>> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
>>>> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
>>>> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>>>> My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
>>>>
>>>> "hspindel" <> wrote in message
>>>> news:36896AEA-4739-4662-AC77-...
>>>>> I've had my Vista computer for about 14 months. Gradually my hard disk
>>>>> has
>>>>> filled up. I've traced this to the system32\config\regback directory,
>>>>> which
>>>>> now contains 32GB of files mostly named REGxxxx where xxxx is a sequence
>>>>> number.
>>>>>
>>>>> I understand these are registry backups of some sort. What is safe to
>>>>> delete?
>>>>>
>>>>> There are several backups for each date I've owned the computer, with some
>>>>> days missing. Why doesn't Vista automatically get rid of old backups
>>>>> instead
>>>>> of filling my hard disk?
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Gene E. Bloch letters0x40blochg0x2Ecom
>>


--
Gene E. Bloch letters0x40blochg0x2Ecom

Thanks for the update.

Who knew? :-)

On Tue, 3 Mar 2009 16:15:01 -0800, hspindel wrote:

> I stumbled across the answer. See:
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=257534
>
> In short, they are temporary files used by ntbackup. (Since Vista doesn't
> come with a reasonable backup program, I've been using ntbackup from XP).
>
> It's a program bug in ntbackup - the temp files should be deleted.
> Apparently it's safe for me to delete them.
>
> I do not understand why I'm having the problem as the app note says this
> applies to network backups, which I'm not doing, but I'm happy to have an
> answer anyway.
>
> Howard
>
>
> "Rick Rogers" wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I have no idea what's creating them. Have you looked at any third party
>> system protection programs that you may be using? It's not a function of
>> Vista to do that.
>>
>> --
>> Best of Luck,
>>
>> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
>> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
>> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>> My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
>>
>> "hspindel" <> wrote in message
>> news:63D6506B-07EB-468F-B349-...
>>> Thank you for the response, Rick. I see the two backups of each of the
>>> five
>>> registries as you describe.
>>>
>>> But there are also a gazillion files named REGxxxx. What are these? If I
>>> don't need them, can I stop them from being created?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Howard
>>>
>>> "Rick Rogers" wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> Basically, there should be two backups of each of the five registry hives
>>>> named <hive> and <hive>.old as well as the associated logs. For instance
>>>> you
>>>> should see:
>>>>
>>>> SAM
>>>> SAM.OLD
>>>> SAM.LOG1
>>>> SAM.LOG2
>>>>
>>>> Anything else for each of them can be deleted.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Best of Luck,
>>>>
>>>> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
>>>> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
>>>> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>>>> My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
>>>>
>>>> "hspindel" <> wrote in message
>>>> news:36896AEA-4739-4662-AC77-...
>>>> > I've had my Vista computer for about 14 months. Gradually my hard disk
>>>> > has
>>>> > filled up. I've traced this to the system32\config\regback directory,
>>>> > which
>>>> > now contains 32GB of files mostly named REGxxxx where xxxx is a
>>>> > sequence
>>>> > number.
>>>> >
>>>> > I understand these are registry backups of some sort. What is safe to
>>>> > delete?
>>>> >
>>>> > There are several backups for each date I've owned the computer, with
>>>> > some
>>>> > days missing. Why doesn't Vista automatically get rid of old backups
>>>> > instead
>>>> > of filling my hard disk?
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>


--
Gene E. Bloch letters0x40blochg0x2Ecom